Armed with an extended bullpen, experienced transfers and promising freshmen, the Michigan baseball team was amped for its season to begin. And alongside the revamped roster, the intangibles — camaraderie, celebrations and love for the game — have fueled the Wolverines’ hot start.
“We got a lot of things to do in our locker rooms, playing ping pong and poker and crafts and stuff like that,” graduate outfielder Robert Hamchuck said Feb 7. “This team gelled very quickly and that’s something that doesn’t always happen.”
And from the locker room fun emerged a distinct celebration. At the end of every double, the respective Michigan hitter would swing his right arm up, crossing his body at the pecs and then gyrate his hips for a couple seconds before throwing off his protective pads.
These celebrations — or the want to dance on second — have had a real impact on the Wolverines; extra-base total. Even with some sluggers in the form of junior second baseman Mitch Voit and senior third baseman Cole Caruso, Michigan ranks 11th in the Big Ten in home runs. But when considering second-base hits, Michigan ranks third, only trailing Maryland and Iowa by one double.
But after sliding into a triple against Southern California on March 17, Voit’s controversial celebration went viral on social media — though not with the most positive reactions. And around this same time, the Wolverines became concerned that their signature second-base celebration may also leave a sour taste in certain viewers’ mouths, leading to its removal.
“We had a set (celebration) at the beginning of the season but we talked about it — ‘Is it age appropriate?’ ” junior outfielder Greg Pace Jr. said Friday. “We’re role models to the youth. So, we want them to look up to us and it wasn’t the best example, if some people would see it like that.”
With the demise of the rocking-the-hips dance on second came time for players to express their individuality. From graduate catcher Matt Spear wiping down his chest with two fingers to a dougie from graduate shortstop Benny Casillas, Michigan has vastly increased its repertoire of celebrations.
And with this increase in individual expression comes an increase in camaraderie. Every player celebrates their double their way, without compromising their integrity as role models.
“If BJ goes out there and it’s a double, it’s a different celebration than Greg,” junior right-hander David Lally Jr. said. “You just kind of let the game take over and the energy from the dugout fuels that. So it’s not really like one celebration.”
Alongside these second base dances, the Wolverines also celebrate every run scored. As soon as a runner makes his way to the dugout, he’s immediately pushed into the middle of two rows of players who hit him on the helmet while chanting “Hey, Hey, Hey!” as he moves to put his gear down.
Although not the most important part of baseball, this obvious love of the game has made the Wolverines a tight unit. These celebrations are a part of generating that closeness, and the energy that fuels Michigan’s wins.
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